A Grant Proposal for Female Veterans Suffering from PTSD

Karol Meza-Englebrecht, California State University, Long Beach
May, 2012

Exposure to war and combat has been linked to an increased prevalence of posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) among both male and female servicemembers (Feczer & Bound,
2009).

The literature on female combat-related PTSD suggests that certain deployment stressors
( Military Sexual Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury) may place women at higher risk for
PTSD (Foster, 2009; Suris & Lind, 2008; Zinzow, Grubaugh, Monnier, Suffoleta-Maierle
& Frueh, 2007).

PTSD is associated with a variety of issues such as substance use, suicide and impairment
in family functioning (Bryan & Corso 2011; Foster, 2009; Guerra & Calhoun 2010).

The purpose of this project was to develop a program, identify possible funding sources
and write a grant proposal to fund a program that will provide psychosocial and family
services to veteran mothers suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at Veterans
Village of San Diego (VVSD), Oceanside. The program was designed to help veteran
mothers to improve mental health functioning by helping them cope with their symptoms
and ease their transition from military to civilian life.

Women veterans suffering from PTSD are a vulnerable population. They are at high risk
for stigma, gender discrimination, oppression, and social injustice. Instilled in social work
profession are values of service, advocacy and empowerment of disenfranchised groups.
If funded, this program will support these three values by providing high-quality and
gender/family-oriented services to women veterans. This program may close some of the
gaps between needs and social services available for women veterans and their families at
VVSD in Oceanside.

Current research studies indicate that returning service members from ethnic minority
groups are less likely to receive quality treatment than their Caucasian counterparts
(Grubaugh, Elhai, Ruggiero, Egede, Naifeh, & Frueh 2009).

The literature also indicate that despite the fact that VA services have improved in order to
meet women veterans’ needs, female servicemembers continue to encounter and perceive
obstacles to accessing health care (Washington, Yano, Simon & Sun, 2006). Given that
women are a minority in the military service, not the least of which come from ethnic
minority groups, this program will provide culturally sensitive services to women from all
races/ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
Target Population
Mother veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom/ Operation Iraqi Freedom conflicts
with a PTSD diagnosis receiving services the Veterans Village of San Diego (Oceanside
location).
Strategies to select Funding Source
Funding was sought at the local, state, and federal levels using foundation databases and
Internet search engines.
Selected Funding Source
Health Net, Inc. Corporate Giving Program.
Sources for Grant Need Assessment
Literature review, Oceanside VA clinic, VVSD, California Research Bureau, U.S. Census
Bureau, VA’s National Center for PTSD.
Projected Budget
$ 137,110.00
Program Summary
The proposed program is aimed at improving the mental health functioning of women
veterans and at helping them transition from military to civilian life. The program
incorporates individual counseling for veterans, conjoint family therapy, a PTSD
psychoeducational group for children and partners, and case management services.
Program Objectives
1. To decrease female veterans’ PTSD symptoms and improve their overall functioning.
2. To provide PTSD psychoeducational classes to veterans’ families.
3. To improve Female veterans’ relationships with their children
Program Evaluation
This program will utilize following standardized measurement tools: the PCL-M, GAF,
and PSS. In addition, a PTSD knowledge-based questionnaire and a qualitative interview
will be designed and administered.
Program Design
Grant seekers and writers must put forth effort in ensuring that the components of the
program are in line with both the needs of host agency and the desires of the funding
source. It is important to find balance between these two elements given that this can be
the difference between a program being funded or not
Budgeting
Knowledge of expenses associated with running a program is fundamental. Without this
understanding grant writers will not be able to comprehend how much funds are needed
to achieve the goals and objectives set for a program.
Grant Writing
To write a grant is not an easy task. It requires the writer to engage in activities such as
planning on how to conduct research and obtain information from organizations and
experts working with the population of interest, researching about the issues impacting
the target population, collaborating with the host agency, and funding source and
organizing the grant itself. Two of the greatest challenges this writer faced were finding
existing programs for female veterans to use as a framework for the development of this
project and difficulties in defining reachable and measurable objectives that reflect the
program’s goals and the needs of the host agency. The writing of this grant, nevertheless,
allowed the writer to acquire knowledge in development of goals and objectives, program
evaluation budgeting and location of funding sources.
Bryan, C. J., & Corso, K. A. (2011). Depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation among active duty veterans in
an integrated primary care clinic. Psychological Services, 8(2), 94-103. doi:10.1037/a0023451.
Grubaugh, A. L., Elhai, J. D., Ruggiero, K. J., Egede, L. E., Naifeh, J. A., & Frueh, B. (2009). Equity in
Veterans Affairs Disability Claims Adjudication in a National Sample of Veterans. Military Medicine,
174(12), 1241-1246.
Guerra, V. S., & Calhoun, P. S. (2010). Examining the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder and
suicidal ideation in an oef/oif veteran sample. Journal Of Anxiety Disorders,
doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.06.025
Feczer, D., & Bjorklund, P. (2009). Forever Changed: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Female Military
Veterans, A Case Report. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 45(4), 278-291.
Foster L K, Vince S. California’s Women Veterans: The Challenges and Needs of Those Who Served (2009).
California: California Research Bureau, California State Library.
Suris, A., Lind, L. (2008). Military Sexual Trauma. Trauma, Violence and Abuse, 9 (4) 250-269.
Washington, D. L., Yano, E. M., Simon, B., & Su, S. (2006). To Use or Not to Use. JGIM: Journal Of
General Internal Medicine, 21S11-S18. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00369.x
Zinzow, H. M., Grubaugh, A. L., Monnier, J., Suffoletta-Maierle, S., & Frueh, B. (2007). Trauma among
Female Veterans: A Critical Review. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 8(4), 384-400.